British Foreign Secretary William Hague advised Israel not to launch a ground attack on the Gaza Strip because it would “lose Israel a lot of the international sympathy.” A new definition of chutzpah!

Hague’s chutzpah

Sir, – So British Foreign Secretary William Hague advised
Israel not to launch a ground attack on the Gaza Strip because it would “lose
Israel a lot of the international sympathy” (“Foreign leaders warn against IDF
incursion,” November 19).

The British were not concerned when they
participated in the bombardment of Serbia or Libya, or now in Afghanistan and
Pakistan.

But Israel merits international sympathy only as long as it is
our civilians who suffer.

A new definition of chutzpah!

MILTON J. KRAMERAshdod

Serious game

Sir, – With regard to “The game changer” (Analysis, November
19):

1. The Palestinians in Gaza “democratically” elected Hamas, a terrorist
organization. They made their bed; now they have to sleep in it.

2. The
Hamas charter, in basic layman’s words, calls for jihad against Israel and its
complete destruction, which means there can never be a cease-fire, short or
long.

3. Hamas uses its own civilian population as human shields by
placing rocket launchers next to residential buildings, schools and mosques.
This makes it very hard for our air force to bomb said sites, and sometimes
civilian casualties happen.

The western world leaders who pounce on us
should remember that the American and NATO forces in Afghanistan and Iraq have
had similar incidents. This is not just Israel.

MURRAY JOSEPHKiryat
Motzkin

Community maligned

Sir, – I live in Ramat Beit Shemesh and take umbrage
with the fact that in “A city without war” (Reporter’s Notebook, November 19),
Sam Sokol ignores the young men from Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef who are in the
army, as conscripts as well as reserves who have been called up.

Also, I
am very upset that Sokol feels we are so uninformed.

Many families are
worried about their husbands, sons and grandsons, as well as the other soldiers
on the Gaza border.

We are certainly not living under the impression that
it’s all just another news broadcast.

This affects us all, no matter
where we live.

MARGARET ABRAMSBeit Shemesh

Sir, – I have been a resident
of Ramat Beit Shemesh for the past 13 years, almost since it was
established.

I am the proud mother of three combat soldiers. The oldest
spent Operation Cast Lead in Gaza and missed his brother’s wedding. These boys
where raised here, as where many of their combat soldier friends.

Many of
my own friends and neighbors have sons who were mobilized, and the ones who
weren’t are sitting by the phone, disappointed it isn’t ringing.

I don’t
know which Ramat Beit Shemesh your reporter was referring to, but it certainly
isn’t the one I live in.

May all our soldiers return safely to their
families.

DAPHNA GOLDREICHBeit Shemesh

Sir, – I believe your
correspondent maligned an outstanding community and helped destroy the unity we
need during these trying times.

Does he expect all citizens around the
country to cower in shelters in order to identify with our brethren in the
South? Or do we carry on as usual to show the terrorists that they will not win
and disrupt our lives? I spent this past Shabbat in Ramat Beit Shemesh and
prayed in three different synagogues. All the congregants were well aware of the
security situation and said extra Psalms, praying for the welfare of all of
Israel.

AVRAHAM FRIEDMANModi’in Illit

Here to stay

Sir, – With regard to
“Only disproportionate deterrence will offset Hamas terror” (Candidly Speaking,
November 19), a cease-fire now would not be enough. It would be only a temporary
solution. We have to tell these Philistines that we are here to stay.

How
would we rely on a cease-fire with Hamas? A signature with Hamas is
unreliable.

We have to win this war so Hamas has no hope of starting with
us again. We have the equipment, the ability and the willpower.

Neither
we nor the ordinary citizens of Gaza want a war, but if that is the only answer
we will have to go through with it until quiet is restored upon all of
Israel.

HILARY GATOFFHerzliya Pituah

On target

Sir, – I think your
November 19 cartoon on Hamas’s “latest, most advanced body armor” was right on
target. This is exactly the kind of hasbara (public diplomacy) we should be
disseminating to the international community.

I particularly raise
issue with Sharon’s call to “flatten entire neighborhoods in Gaza. Flatten all
of Gaza.”

As Jews, we rightly caution the world that Israel’s enemies
seek to drive the country into the sea.

We therefore cannot give voice to
those among us who would like to do the same to others.

It is unbecoming
of an international newspaper to provide a forum for commentators who actively
call for the destruction of another state (insofar as Sharon confers statehood
qualities on Gaza). I urge you to issue a formal apology for its
publication.

MARK FRIEDMANToronto

Sir, – The op-ed by Gilad Sharon is
disgusting and tantamount to a call for a Shoah on Gaza. It has no place in
print outside of fascist hate pamphlets peddled by maniacs.

Shame on The
Jerusalem Post for printing such vile, murderous rants. You do no service to
Jews in Israel or, like myself, living on the other side of the planet, in any
way by printing this filth.

Retract and denounce or continue such a
course to doom and misery.

TOBY MUIRAuckland

Sir, – Although I agree
with both the premise of Gilad Sharon’s article and its conclusions, the irony
is that Ariel Sharon’s son, of all people, is weighing in on the catastrophe
that has become Gaza. It is nothing short of breathtaking!

ALISON
BELGRAD-SPEKTERMANKiryat Bialik

Fairy-tale mentality

Sir, – In the November 18
article “In Tel Aviv, left-wing protesters call for immediate cease-fire,” one
protester, Yuval Itah, was quoted as saying, “I don’t care any more about Jews
than I do about Palestinians in Gaza. I don’t want anyone to
die....”

It’s very noble of Itah to refer to Jews and Palestinians with
the same concern. To him I say, go spend some time in Sderot or other towns or
settlements near the Gaza border; then maybe you will be more realistic in terms
of who is responsible for this war.

Living in the center of the country,
Itah is totally oblivious to the reality of constant bombardment and
interference in life. He says we can stop the rockets through dialogue with
Hamas. To such dreamers I say, get real.

Somehow, left-wing Israelis
assume that Israel is at fault and all we have to do is compromise, withdraw and
end the so-called occupation. But Israel withdrew from Gaza over seven years ago
and the results have been a constant disruption in the lives of the neighboring
Jewish communities.

These protesters have a fairytale mentality. It’s
time they opened their eyes.